Not Another Awakening Self Insert
by Panther Hardraad
Summary: When I died I wanted to be the cantankerous old man who died of some bullshit reason like old age and go take my place in the greater order of the universe. Certainly not at 18 from a car crash and definitely not taken Yllisse. But I'll make the most of it. Probably at the expense of everyone around me. Also no more dying. Disclaimer: I wish I owned Fire Emblem: Awakening.
1. Welcome to Ylisse

Dear god what have I done now? Or would that be goddess?

Please tell this is just a dream, please, please, please!

"This isn't a dream."

Well fuck.

"There's no need for that kind of language here."

And she reads minds too.

"Of course I can read your mind. You're in my realm."

Double damn.

"That's better. I suppose you know what has happened to you."

"I died or withstood a significant amount of trauma and you are offering me a way out of it as long as I cooperate with whatever you need me to do? I've seen this song and dance before you know. You don't get involved in something as much as I do without stumbling across a few self-insert stories here and there," I said trying to rub my temples except I had no limbs, head, or body period.

"Except they're all true."

"What are all true?" I said having an existential crisis.

"Those stories you read. We send them out with the hope that should a timeline need an additional hero we have a ready body of choices." The goddess smiled. "What's the last thing you remember?"

"Heading home from school. It was icy and a car flew and skidded and I guess that crunch was me under the tires?"

She nodded. "There were some extenuating circumstances to be sure."

"Extenuating, how?"

"That's not important at the moment. What is important is where do you want to go?"

I balked. Normally in these things the divine being says 'Oh you died? Well that sucks. I need someone over here on The Citadel.' or 'Well I have a two o'clock in Coruscant, how's that sound.' No here was a not god telling me 'You have options! Isn't that great!'. "Um where can I go?"

"Well let's see; a new slot opened up in Aincrad, um a position in Chicago as a mage-in-training, and oh here's one you'll like a Self-Insert for Fire Emblem: Awakening."

"An anime that's overdone, a position that'll likely get me killed, possessed or turned into a fey's boy-toy, or a game also overdone but open to interpretation. Well ma'am I think I'll take door numbered three please."

"Excellent, please choose your appearance then."

"How close can you give me my old body to work with?"

All of a sudden my body appeared. The less than ideal body shape, the annoyingly curly hair, and an affinity for too much black.

"Hold up here. Say I make changes, give myself powers and skills I didn't have before, what are the consequences?"

"Standard issue, an alternate with upgraded skills and abilities. They tend to run yin to your yang though, so say you run as armor knight with impressive defenses they show up as a dark mage with enough magic to turn you to sludge. Wyvern Knight gets an mage with an affinity for wind. Myrmidon gets a - well you get the idea. The point is you need to strike a balance here. Too much power and your alternate will run you over, not enough power and you could very well die to grunt number 47."

"Point taken. So let's just focus on appearance first. I need to be able to last long marches, so let's cut that gut out of there." My body's midsection shrunk to that of an average male. "Let's keep height the same, change my hair, hmm what do we have here?" My hair settled into a raven cut. "That'll do."

"Hmm if I was human I might actually find that attractive," the goddess said lifting my arms and pointing at my face.

"It's not for you, anyways I think I'm done here. What do you have for me class wise?"

"I don't think the 'canon' classes will work for you, do you? Why don't you tell what weapon you want and we'll work from there."

"Definitely a bow. I had some lessons with that before I died. That sounds so weird, talking about my death like its a trip to the grocery store."

"Ok then bow it is." As soon as she had said it an iron bow appeared in my avatar's hand and a quiver was on his back. "Any other weapons?"

"No I think the bow is a good starting weapon. What else to give myself for an edge?" I thought about the canon characters and my thoughts strayed to Cherche, Sumia, and Cordelia. "Hey _?" I said trying to say her name but all that came out was silence, she seemed to hear me anyways though.

"Yes?"

"Why are there no flying archers?"

"They would probably be game breaking in canon. I mean flying units are all weak to arrows so putting an archer on a pegasus would be lethal."

"Well that seems like the best way to make myself stand out. So let's call me a Pegasus Ranger then?"

"Hmm. Well it looks like all you need to choose is an asset and flaw. HP is always a good choice," she smiled her radiant smile.

"Defense for flaw. Speed for asset. What do my stats look like?" I asked trying to get on with it.

"Well let's see," with a flick of her hand a sheet appeared. "Well it looks like you'll be getting a good amounts of 'fuck mages' levels. Ooh you'll put the Flash to shame with that growth. Also don't get hit Elucidator won't like it."

"Elucidator?" I asked.

"Your pegasus. You should take good care of him. He likes oats and barley and-"

"Let me guess, apples?"

She nodded. "You ready to go to Southtown?"

"Yeah." I nodded, then said to her, "What's my alternate like?"

"Hmm, well she's an armor knight it seems. Proficent with swords though. That's a bit odd. Anyways good luck and don't die again."

The little vision I did have turned black, then red, then a bright white as if I was staring into the sun for too long.

As my vision cleared I was standing on a cliff with my bow on my back. "Hmm. Well I doubt she missed on purpose. Now what did she say was my pegasus' name... Elinciel? No it was Kirito's sword... oh right! ELUCIDATOR!" I called out, and received a nudge to the rear.

"Hmm, wonder how close I am to Chrom and Robin? Wonder if I'm working with a fem or male. Probably male although a female would be interesting." I hoped onto Elucidator's back. "Let's see how you fly!" And with that challenge he took off at an astonishing speed.

Oh dear goddess, I almost fell off. That would be a terrible start.

After a few moments in the air I spotted a small group of people crowding in a field. Well that was easy enough to do. Now how do I integrate myself into society. I could claim to be Robin's protector. Hmm no they'd wonder why Robin wouldn't remember me. Brother? Same response. Mercenary responding to fire in South Town? Definitely would work. Frederick probably won't like me, but I'm pretty sure that he prefers actions to words. Let's roll with that one.

I waited a few more minutes. Until I saw smoke rising. Well that's mine and their cue. Time for entrance curtain right.

"Time to make an impression Elucidator! Let's make it a good one."

He responded with a quick head nod, snort and began climbing to dive towards the town.

"For Aincrad!"


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome to South Town

**A/N: 112 Views + 6 Follows + 1 Favorite + 6 Reviews = 1 Very Happy Writer. Thank you for giving this story a look, read and comment. I've written before but nothing ever really got published so I'm happy that this did well. And with all of those thanks and things about me out of the way on to the first true chapter of Not Another Awakening Insert!  
Also _Italics show a change of point of view,_ 'words in a  
**

 _Robin's point of view_

"Chrom, we have to do _something..."_

Someone was above her.

"What do you propose we do?" said another.

I tried to stir but something stopped me. 'What if these people were bandits, or worse.'

"I...I dunno..." the first voice said again. This voice sounded girlish.

'I don't think they're bandits but I should still be careful.'

"Uggh, my head." I opened my eyes to see a blue haired man and a blonde girl leaning over me. "Umm, hi?"

"I see you're awake now," said the blue haired man.

"Hey there!" said the blonde.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," hey extended to me an arm and as I reached for it noticed a lightly pulsing purple mark on my hand. He pulled me up and I was brought inches from his face.

 _South Town_

"Gwahahaha! Get to it, lads! Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types! Ain't that right, lass?" shouted a man with an axe and a large pelt on his back.

"S-Stay away from me! Please! Someone! HEEEEEELP!" shouted a woman he had held with her hair in his hands.

His men were chuckling as they proceeded to continue to raid with their leader indisposed. A myrmidon was about to cut down a merchant when all of a sudden he was lying on the ground bleeding out from an arrow wound to the chest.

A pegasus descended into the town with a rider holding a bow.

"Damn, Ylissian soldiers," the dying swordsman said crawling towards his brothers-in-arms.

"Tsk, you sure are a survivable lot. I suppose you'd have to be, living in the desert under Gangrel and all," the pegasus rider said as he had his mount move closer to the Plegian.

"You're a man?" said the raider incredulously. "A man riding a pegasus. What a wyvern to much to handle for you to handle, pussy?"

"Tsk. This 'pussy on a pegasus' just shot you from 100 leagues away. Now tell me what you know and I'll send you to your god with honor."

"Honor? What do you Ylissian's know of honor? You stripped that of us in the last war by that tyrant you called an Exalt. Take your worthless honor and cram it up Grima's arse."

"I could kill you now," the man said and then chuckled to a joke only he understood. "Listen, I know Gangrel's an ass and I know that the former Exalt was a tyrant and a war monger, but I also know that the current Exalt is the most honorable woman to be born ever and I've never personally met her. Now if you want to meet your death as a Plegian tell me what you know and I'll slay you and live with it, or you could die as a deserter and bleed out in an alley, its not much of a choice but it is your choice."

"...What do you want to know?" the myrmidon asked quietly.

"How many of you are there? Don't lie I'll know."

"There were ten of us plus Garrick, he's our boss for this raid."

"Thank you. May Grima devour your soul as you fight in the next life."

He stepped of the pegasus, raised his bow drew an arrow and was about to release when the target said to him, "What is the name of he who would release me from my mortal shell?"

"...You may tell those you encounter that you were slain by Lerman, 1st of his name." The arrow buried itself into the bandits heart.

 _Robin POV_

"Chrom!" I shouted dodging a blade. "There's someone on a pegasus fighting the bandits over there!

"I see her! Frederick give her assistance. She won't be able to hold of them on her own."

"Of course my lord!" the knight said riding of to assist the pegasus rider.

As I looked over to where Frederick was riding I felt a magic deep within myself activate. I could see the entire battlefield somehow. "Chrom, that's no woman on that pegasus!"

"What?!" Chrom said slicing through a myrmidon's paltry attempt at a block with his sword. "Robin are you trying to tell me that that's a man riding a pegasus? That's unheard of. As far as I know only women are able to form a deep enough bond with their mounts."

I had no idea. 'Curse my amnesia!' "I don't know what to tell you then."

It was then I saw with the magic eye Frederick returning with the pegasus rider flying low behind him shooting arrows at those attempting to chase after them.

"Lissa!" I shouted getting the blonde healers attention. "Go to the pegasus rider. They need help."

"Of course!" Lissa yelled clutching her staff and running towards the rider and mount.

"Chrom, I can see the battlefield somehow," I said as I ran over to Chrom who had finished of a mage that had foolishly decided to engage him in close combat.

"What do you mean Robin?" Chrom asked flicking the blood off of his sword, Falchion.

"I am able to see the abilities and arms of our opponents as well as their positions if I know of them. I must have studied this to be able to understand it so well."

"Hmm. This is a useful talent, but I have noticed something about you Robin," Chrom said walking over to me.

"Oh um yes what would that be Chrom?" I asked flustered as he stared intently at me.

"You carry both a sword and a tome, are you skilled in both?"

"OH! Um well I suppose I must've been," I said slightly put out. "Now let me see if I can remember how to do this."

"If you aren't sure than I'll just stay off the side when you cast," he said chuckling a bit. "Now let's see about this rider."

 _Lerman (OC) POV_

"Thank you for your help sir-" I said fishing for Frederick's name even though I knew it. It wouldn't do to have two people in one day who knew names they shouldn't.

"Frederick, and you are?"

"Lerman. I was flying by looking for a group of bandits I had been tracking and I saw the smoke rising from the town." As I was explaining my reason for being present Lissa walked over to me.

"Hello," she said loudly trying to gain my attention. "I am Lissa. I'm this party's healer. Are you in need of healing?"

"Of course, thank you Lady Lissa for your help, just a few minor injuries."

She giggled. "There's no need to be so formal. You remind me of my friend Maribelle. Although," she scrutinized me, "you're a boy. How did you get a pegasus?"

Frederick cleared his throat. "I was wondering that myself Sir Lerman."

I chuckled. "Elucidator was a gift. I've known him as long as I've existed in this world. Our bond is forged through the goddess herself." The truth in a Ben Kenobi way.

"WOW! That's impressive. I've never heard of a boy being able to ride a pegasus though. But if you can then you're going to be legendary. The first male to breach a gap long held by women."

"Quite," clipped Frederick.

"Who's our new friend Frederick?" asked the blue haired swordsman better known as Chrom as he walked up to us.

"Lerman's a man Chrom!" shouted Lissa gathering the attention to herself.

"Robin mentioned it earlier. I doubted, but it seems her ability is a marvel to behold. Welcome, Lerman, to our paltry band of adventurers."

I made a show of looking surprised. 'Thank you Acting 101.' "Where is this Robin who discerned my identity at a glance?"

A loud crack of Thunder boomed across the plaza and a blackened body flew into the river beside them. *SPLOOOOOOSH*

"I think that's her. She found out she can perform magic. It seems I was right to step to the side," Chrom said chuckling into his palm.

I stood horrified as the default Female Robin stepped into sight from behind a corner. "Um. Found? If I didn't know any better I'd say she was a goddess of magic."

"She might very well be," Lissa said cryptically.

"Eeeeeeh!" came a shout for help across the bridge.

"Shit. The leader has a hostage!" I jumped onto Elucidator's back. "Chrom, I am Lerman first of the name and Pegasus Ranger. I hold myself as a mercenary with morals and would join you in battle. Do you accept?"

"Lerman, I accept your offer of help. Robin can you see the leader?" Chrom spoke brusquely, the threat of a hostage stirring him into action.

Robin stood of to the side with her tome in hand and stared across the bridge. The thought of a hawk screeching in the distance called out to me. It seemed the game mechanics had transferred to an actual ability for our tactician.

"I see him. He has a woman held hostage. He seems to be waiting for confirmation of our deaths before ravishing her," Robin spoke severely.

Chrom blanched as Lissa covered her mouth with her hand in shock. Frederick and I stood waiting for orders.

"I should like to have words with you after this skirmish is resolved Sir Lerman," Frederick spoke to me starring down the bridge.

"I would be honored. However know that I am no Sir. I'm just a war-profiteer helping to dissolve my only income," I said sighing.

Robin spoke again, "He seems to be carrying an axe made specifically to be thrown and return to him in case of a miss. As well as an Iron Axe."

"Lady Robin, please join me. Elucidator and I will be able to carry you to battle quickly. The sooner we dispatch him the sooner Elucidator can have the apple he's been craving all day," I said extending a hand to her.

"Thank you-" she said asking for my name as she climbed onto Elucidator's back with me.

"Of course how rude of I. My name is Lerman, first of the name."

"Thank you Sir Lerman. I am Robin, though unknown is my past."

I nodded. This was proof that I was in the correct time-line. Definitely did not want to deal with the Future Past time-line.

"For the emancipation of South Town!"

 _Robin's POV_

This Sir Lerman seemed strange. First there was the obvious apparently. A man who rode a pegasus with the ease of a woman. Second the slightly less obvious. How he seemed to know what was going on without to much information to tell him.

'I will question him later,' I thought. 'There's a woman to be saved first.'

His mount, Elucidator, took off with his war cry. I turned and saw Frederick help Lissa up onto his horse and paused to help Chrom as well. Chrom had taken running after them as soon as Lerman charged towards the bandit.

"Well well well," said the man hefting up his axe. "Lookit what these fine people brought to me as tribute, maiden! A pegasus rider, her mount and a she-witch!"

"Why does everyone think I'm a woman," muttered Lerman looking dejected a moment. Then his eyes sparkled in determination. His voice change pitch to that of a scared young woman. "Please don't make me hurt you. My sister and I will punish you in the name of justice!"

I stared at him wide-eyed.

He then turned his voice to the one much darker and masculine. "Just kidding. I'm going to kill you anyways, and then I'm going to take your skull and all of your followers skulls and turn them into a necklace and sell them to a darkmage. I hear pieces of corpses make for the best hexes."

This was not the perfect gentleman from earlier. This was a man who had and would kill.

 _Lerman's POV_

I was shaking. Not physically as that would discount any of my threats. But mentally I was shaking. Could I actually do what I said. Fire Emblem was a game of kill or be killed after all. I decided that killing the Chief was the only way to defuse the situation but...

"...You're not a woman?" questioned the bandit with a stupid look on his face.

I took the opportunity to fire a shot at his face but he raised his axe at the last second deflecting the shot into the air.

"No," I said simply.

"Well then I suppose I'll just kill ya then!"

"Oh no you don't," Chrom said running into the chief's path raising his sword to block the axe strike.

"Chrom!" shouted Robin jumping down and running to join the swordsman drawing her own blade to strike in tandem with Chrom's Falchion.

"Elucidator! Let's get some height on this bastard," I said growling into the winged-equine's ears.

He leapt up and climbed enough to land on the roof of a nearby house.

"Eek!" shouted a elderly woman with a broom. "Get out of here you bandit, you..." she raised it up to swing at me. "What you aren't with Lord Chrom's Shepherds are you?"

I lifted an eyebrow and pointed at Chrom. "Depends on what he has to say when we kill Garrick."

"Please rescue Rosa," the woman said. "She's my grand-daughter and all I have left of my daughter and her husband." She pointed at the cowering lump of hostage near the bandit chief.

"Of course ma'am," I said with a deep bow. It was then I noticed Garrick had leaped out of danger from Chrom, Robin, and Frederick though the latter was giving chase.

I plucked an arrow out of my quiver. Notched the arrow to the bow string. The elderly woman noticed and drew silent. Elucidator shuddered once and became still. The air was dry as I pulled the string back. The fletching scratched at my cheek. I lifted the angle of the bow and breathed once, twice, three times. I followed Garrick ahead a few yards. Robin would notice with her "Tactician's Sight" and would start leading the target into my range. There he was. I release the string. The arrow flew up and up and finally reached its apex. It began to fall. Garrick hadn't seen the piece of iron and wood that would spell his death. He drew back to fling his hand axe when suddenly, his grip loosened.

"Together We Ride," I whispered to Elucidator.

* * *

The villagers huddled together as they gathered the wood from destroyed shops and created funeral pyres for their slain, with the raiders dragged a league from town to be dealt with by the crows and ravens that feasted on carrion.

I walked to the various raiders whose bodies had been recovered. I began a prayer to Thane's gods and goddesses. The scene in the hospital with Shepard reading the prayer stood out in my mind as I lamented my actions.

"Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness.  
Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand-  
Kalahira, wash the sins from this one,  
and set him on the distant shore of the infinite spirit."

"Kalahira, this one's heart is pure,  
but beset by wickedness and contention.  
Guide this one to where the traveler never tires,  
the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve.  
Guide this one, Kalahira,  
and she will be a companion to you as she was to me."

"I never would have picked you out to be a religious man," Robin said walking up to me. "The way you spoke I thought you were going to walk up and rip his head with your hands. Why the sudden change?"

"Nothing changed," I cringed. No that was wrong, the world had changed. Not this world. My world. "Nothing and everything. I'm not used to staying long enough to witness the aftermath of my actions." That was true enough, as I had never killed before.

"I see," she said simply. "That shot would have been impossible for any one. How did you do it?"

"You," I said simply.

"Me? What do you mean?"

"Your talent. I've seen it before. A young man named Mark I worked with. He was a tactician, though his health was so far he couldn't fight with the others of our band like you do."

"You seem too young to have war stories. I feel like I've heard of this Mark before but with my cursed amnesia I can't remember anything."

"What will you do now?" I asked referring to Chrom and his fellow Ylissians.

"Chrom has offered me a position in a mercenary band as its tactician. Although I don't know if I'll accept."

"Why not mercenaries are well paid often have a strong group of soldiers amassed at a well defensible location and you're being offered a desirable position," I argued. Robin had to join the Shepherds. It was the only to win all the wars coming at Ylisse for the next few years.

"Are you going to join us? I could use a set of eyes in the skies and a quicker way into combat then running," she said pouting slightly.

"...If Chrom accepts it." I didn't want to seem too ready to accept. I had to stay aloof and unapproachable.

"He already said yes."

I sighed. Of course she would have gotten permission before extending the offer to me.

"Very well," I knelled in front of her. "I Lerman, first of my name, rider of the pegasus Elucidator, and knowledgeable mercenary do swear to my allegiance to you Lady Robin. Your allies are my allies. Your enemies are my enemies. None shall harm you whilst I still breathe. This is my oath. My word is my bond."

She sobered immediately. "I accept you Sir Lerman as my sworn sword. I shall protect that which protects me." She dropped into the girlish facade again, "Kay?"


End file.
